Divya Desam – Lord Vishnu | One of the Divya Desam Vishnu Sthalam |
Region | Chola Naadu |
Chola Naadu | 34th Vishnu Sthalam |
HISTORY:
Goddess
Lakshmi wanted the Lord to recognize the efforts of Thirumangai Mannan.
Granting her wishes, Lord Vishnu asks her to be born as the daughter of Sage
Poorna with the promise that he would come there to provide darshan to
Thirumangai Mannan.
Thirumangai
Alwar was an armed robber. Once he found a newly married wealthiest bride and
bridegroom travelling through the woodlands close to a village called
Vedarajapuram lies between Thiruvali and Thirunagari without any guard to
protect them. Thirumangai Alwar was anxiously waited for an opportunity to
snatch the wealth from the people who were travelling through these woods. As
soon as he found the young bride and bridegroom with all the riches on their
body, he pounced upon the bridegroom. Instantly, Lord revealed his glorious
form to Thirumangai Alwar and advised the Ashtakshara Mantra on his ears.
Instantaneously Thirumangai turned out pious at the single touch of Lord.
Afterwards, Thirumangai Alwar followed a righteous life and became one of the
prominent Vaishnavaite Saints and zealous devotee of Lord. This entire event is
enacted here every year on the first day of Panguni Uthiram.
Being the place where Lord Vishnu appeared to share the Thiru Manthiram,
Thiruvaali is said to be equivalent to Badri.
It
is said that after killing Hiranyakasipu the Lord NarasimhA was still in a
furious state; seeing this Devas and munis sent his consort Lakshmi who went
and sat on the Lord’s lap; the Lord hugged her and calmed down and as he gives
Darshan in this posture the place attained the name Thiruvali. Here the Lord
married Thirumagal (Lakshmi) who was grown up by Poorna muni; after giving
darshan in that state the lord in the same newly wed state left for
Thirunagari; on the way at a place called VedharAjapuram, Thirumangai Azhwar
intercepted him to rob and the Lord himself bestowed him with the ‘Thiru
Mandhira upadhesam’.
Pancha Narasimha Kshetram with five Narasimha temples in and around
Thiruvali-Thirunagari, this Divya Desam is called a Pancha Narasimha Kshetram. At
Kuraiyalur, the birth place of Thirumangai Azhvaar, one finds Ugira Narasimha.
At Mangai mutt, where Mangai Mannan fed a 1000 Vaishnavites as per the wishes
of Kumudavalli, there is Veera Narasimha.
At
Thirunagari, there are two Narasimha idols- Yoga Narasimha and Hiranya
Narasimha and here at Thiruvali, one sees Lakshmi Narasimha with the Goddess on
his right lap.
Thirumangai
Azhwar was a small King with Aalinadu as the capital and hence he came to be
known as Aalinadan. His wife Kumudhavalli nachiyar grew up here.
Kulasekara Azhwar has sung a pasuram and Thirumangai Azhwar has sung forty one
pasurams on this Deity. There is no facility for staying here and one can stay
at Seerkazhi and visit this shrine.
TEMPLE INFORMATION:
|
Moolavar |
Sri Lakshmi Narasimhan |
|
Ambal |
Sri Amruthagadavalli |
|
Theertham |
Ilakshani Pushkarani Theertham |
BELIEF:
Lord grants all the
wishes of devotees.
Vaikasi Swathi 10 Days
Festival, Aavani Pavithrothsavam, Thai 12 Garuda Sevai, Panguni Uthram.
HOW
TO REACH:
15
kms from Sirkazhi. Sirkazhi to Poompuhar Bus Route. Nearest Railway Station:
Sirkazhi. Nearest Airport: Trichy, Chennai
TEMPLE
ADDRESS:
Sri Azahiyasingar
Thirukkoil,
Thiruvali,
Thirunangur,
Nagapattinam,
Tamil Nadu – 609106.
LOCATION:
SRI VEDARAJA PERUMAL TEMPLE
HISTORY:
Known
by different names Lakshmipuram, Aalinganapuram, Srinagari and
Vigneswaranallur, this place is located 7 Kms East of Seerkazhi. Located at the
South bank of Uppanaru, it has Karuvarai, Arthamandapam, Mahamandapam and 5
inner prakarams. It has three West facing Gopurams with 7, 5 and 3 stages
respectively.
Moolavar: Vedharajan
in sitting posture with SriDevi and BooDevi, facing West; he is also referred
to as Vayalalimanavalan.
This lord is also known as Kalyana Ranganathar as he gave darshan to
Thirumangai Azhwar in that state. Kannan, Aandaal, all Azhwars,
Aalinganapureeswarar, Nathamunigal, Udayavar and Desikar also decorate the
prakarams.
This temple is mentioned in the uthara kandam of Garuda puranam. Known as
Vilvaranyam this place is one of the Pancha Narasimha ksethrams with lord
having manifested as swayampu Yoga Narasimhamoorthy.
This
is the only Divya Desam where one can see ‘Kalyana Ranganathar’ in a sitting
posture.
Brahma’s
son Karthama Prajaapathi undertook penance at Thirunagari wanting Moksham. With
Lord Vishnu refusing to consider Goddess’ request of providing Moksham to
Prajaapathi, an upset Lakshmi left Paramapatham and hid herself here at
Thirunagari. Missing her presence, Lord came down in search and finally found her
in a pond here. Hence this place came to be called ‘Thiru’(Sri) Nagari, to mark
the event of Goddess Lakshmi having stayed here.
Lord Vishnu’s eyes represent Sun and moon, so he closed his left eye which
represents moon and looked at the pushkarani with his right eye. The Lotus
flower bloomed when they saw the sun and he found Sri Lakshmi in the Lotus
flower. He took her in his arms. Since Sri Lakshmi stayed in this place it is
known as Sripuram.
While
the Lord informed Prajaapathi that there was still time left for Moksham, he
offered to grant any other wishes to Brahma’s son. Though dejected, Prajaapathi
requested that the Lord and Goddess remain here in the same form so all the
devotees could have darshan.
Thirumangai
Azhvaar seen with his trademark spear (Vel)
Thirumangai, who had won over Thirugnana Sambandhar(seen earlier in the
Seerkazhi Kaazhi Cheerama Vinnagaram story) is seen here like a hunter with a
spear.
Thirumangai
had a golden sculpture of his done at Thirukurungudi. It is believed that he
transferred all his powers to this sculpture before he attained Moksham at
Thirukurungudi. This idol was then moved to Thirunagari, near the birth place
of Thirumangai Azhvaar and to date remains the idol of Thirumangai, on whom the
daily pooja is undertaken here at ThiruNagari.
To win over his sweet heart Kumudavalli, Thirumangai fed a 1000 vaishnavites
here as per the condition laid down by her). To this day, one can see the
mandapam, called Mangai Mutt, where Thirumangai fed these Vaishnavites.
TEMPLE INFORMATION:
|
Moolavar |
Sri Vedarajan |
|
Ambal |
Sri Amruthavalli |
|
Theertham |
Ilakshani Pushkarani Theertham |
BELIEF:
Lord grants all the
wishes of devotees.
TEMPLE
FESTIVAL:
Vaikasi
Swathi 10 Days Festival, Aavani Pavithrothsavam, Thai 12 Garuda Sevai, Panguni
Uthram.
HOW
TO REACH:
2
kms from Thiruvali. Nearest Railway Station: Sirkazhi. Nearest Airport: Trichy.
TEMPLE
ADDRESS:
Sri Vedharajan
Thirukkoil,
Thirunagari,
Thirunangur,
Nagapattinam,
Tamil Nadu – 609106.
LOCATION:
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